"Ah, no need to thank me, I’ve already said it’s not worth much!"
He Tiantian didn’t say something like "We’re all family," instead, she put on an act like "It’s just a bit of cash, I just buy things on a whim" like some wealthy tycoon.
Perhaps this might mislead others into thinking she was just flaunting her wealth and didn’t consider Su Muxue as family.
But that was more in line with the original character’s persona.
Before He Tiantian came along, He Sitian’s approach to Su Muxue was all about throwing money at her.
She never dealt with feelings when it came to less well-off relatives; if it could be solved with money, she would never resort to a second tactic.
Su Muxue wasn’t insecure or overly sensitive, so when she first arrived at her aunt’s house, although she felt somewhat uncomfortable, she never held any resentment towards her.
Because Su Muxue understood, regardless whether the other party was showing off wealth or trying to assert their superiority, she really was living a carefree life thanks to them and should be grateful.
After all, one can’t eat their fill and then complain about the host’s manners, right?!
After Su Muxue moved out of her aunt’s house to live at school, she increasingly felt that though her aunt still acted like a "rich, capricious heiress," she also managed to give her a sense of warmth and care.
Maybe... this is what they call "familiarity breeds fondness"?
After spending so much time with her aunt, even though they weren’t related by blood and had different world views, she still felt a kinship!
"...So, um, Muxue, could you stop calling me ’auntie’?"
While Su Muxue was lost in her thoughts, He Tiantian suddenly blurted this out.
Could it be that her aunt didn’t want to be "family" anymore? She didn’t even want her to call her ’auntie’?
"You’re seventeen, I’m twenty-five, I’m only eight years older than you, still a ’big sis’!"
He Tiantian grumbled a bit willfully, "Every day I hear you call me ’auntie’, I feel like I’ve aged twenty or thirty years, as if I’m a middle-aged woman!"
Su Muxue didn’t know whether to laugh or cry.
But perhaps due to the recent "thaw" in their relationship, Su Muxue really started to feel like He Sitian was part of the family.
Hearing He Tiantian’s words, Su Muxue didn’t overthink it and even felt like joking around.
She deliberately glanced at Zhao Yongkang, who was sitting aside, and playfully said, "I don’t mind, I can call you Sister Sitian or ’big sis’! It’s just, I wonder——"
Zhao Yongkang couldn’t sit still anymore. If his wife and niece kept messing around, would he end up being called "brother-in-law"?
"Sitian, I’m the same as you, not much older than Muxue, but elders are elders!"
Zhao Yongkang was usually gentle, but when he spoke sternly, he could be quite intimidating.
He Tiantian pouted at him, slightly reluctant, and said, "Alright then!"
"Muxue, you too, no fooling around!" Zhao Yongkang hadn’t forgotten his mischievous niece.
Cough cough, well, he was the youngest child of his parents, born when his sister was already at university. He was only nine years older than his niece Su Muxue.
When Su Muxue didn’t understand these things, she even called him ’brother’ and adamantly refused to change her ways.
It was only later when she started school and understood more that she reluctantly started calling him "Little Uncle".
Even so, whenever they joked around, Su Muxue would sometimes still deliberately call him ’bro’.
It was after her sister and brother-in-law died in a car accident that the then ten-year-old Su Muxue seemed to grow up overnight.
Particularly after Zhao Yongkang got married and took Su Muxue into his care, her respect for him and his wife grew even more.
As if calling him brother was a thing of the past life.
Today, He Tiantian deliberately complained about being called old, wanting to change her title, and successfully awakened the suppressed vivacity and mischief in Su Muxue.
Through the phone screen, Zhao Yongkang caught the mischievous glint in his niece’s eyes.
Seeing the sensible and gentle Su Muxue becoming lively again, of course, Zhao Yongkang was happy.
But, the hierarchy must not be confused!
He was indeed Muxue’s real uncle.
"Okay, okay, I won’t fool around! I’m off to practice martial arts!"
Su Muxue said obediently but winked playfully at He Tiantian, acting as if she already considered He Sitian, her ’auntie’, as a confidante from her camp.
He Tiantian winked back on purpose, responding with "Go ahead, study hard," before hanging up the video call.
"Sitian, do you really believe that ’Orchid Brushing Acupoint Hand’ actually exists?"
Zhao Yongkang held back but finally couldn’t help himself and carefully broached the subject with He Tiantian.